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Kasthuri Rajamani wins silver in women's para-powerlifting event
Indian para-powerlifter Kasthuri Rajamani secured a silver medal in the women's up to 67 kg category on Wednesday in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. She managed two successful lifts out of three attempts. She initially cleared 103 kg, failed at 106 kg, and then successfully lifted 108 kg to confirm her spot on the podium. South Korea's Kim Hyeonghui finished closely behind her with a 107 kg lift. Uzbekistan's Rukhshona Uktamova took home gold by clearing an impressive 127 kg. This performance elevated India's total medal count to 47, which comprises 12 gold, 17 silver, and 18 bronze medals, reflecting the nation's rapidly expanding investments in para-sports infrastructure.
Record breaking field events
Javelin thrower Manjeet also captured silver in the men's F13 competition. He achieved a personal-best distance of 61.03 metres on his second attempt. Manjeet has enjoyed a strong season, having previously won gold at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Delhi and the Indian Open Para Athletics Championships in Bengaluru. Shot put athletes Sachin Khilari, Mohd Yasser, and Praveen delivered a complete podium sweep in the men's F46 classification. Khilari, a Paralympic medallist, set a new Games record with his final throw measuring 15.87 metres to win gold. Yasser secured silver with a season-best 15.06 metres, while Praveen took bronze with 14.94 metres.
Also read: Indian para-athletes Praveen and Banti secure double podium finish in men's high jump
Track and field triumphs
Shot put competitor Bhagyashri Jadhav earned silver in the women's F34 division. She recorded a personal-best distance of 8.19 metres on her third attempt. This marks her second consecutive Asian Para Games medal of the same colour. She finished behind China's Lijuan Zou, who set a record of 9.07 metres. High jumpers Praveen Kumar and Banti secured gold and silver respectively in the men's T64 event. Two-time Paralympic medallist Praveen cleared 2.05 metres on his third attempt to establish a new Games record. Banti delivered a personal best of 1.92 metres. Rakeshbhai Bhatt claimed bronze in the men's 100m T37 sprint, finishing his race in 11.50 seconds. Saudi Arabia's Ali Alnakhli won the race in 11.31 seconds.
Discus throw dominance
Indian athletes previously dominated the men's discus F43/F44/F62/F64 final earlier in the tournament. Devender Kumar, Rakesh, and Pardeep Kumar took all three podium places. Devender earned 781 Raza points to take gold, while Rakesh scored 771 points for silver. Pardeep finished third with 669 points under the disability classification points system, despite recording the longest throw of the competition at 51.15 metres. These combined victories demonstrate the growing strength of the national sporting contingent on the international stage.
With Inputs from Agency Threads and Image Courtesy: ANI and @kasturi5148 Instagram
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